Accept My Fish
by ShanaHollows
Summary: Happy is determined that Carla will accept his gift today... One-Shot Part of the Nalu One-shot week - except it's not a Nalu. Posted it anyway!


_**I am EXTREMELY excited for Nalu Week! I've accepted a challenge from fellow author, Quite-A-Riot, to write 21 one-shots for Nalu week. I wrote this little tidbit, very satisfied by its' cuteness...then realized it's not Nalu...so I'm posting it anyway.**_

 _ **Enjoy! And I hope to see you for Nalu Week - July 1 - 7!**_

 ** _~Shana~_**

* * *

Happy wrapped the tuna in a red bow, wiping a random loose scale off its body. It was _perfect_. There was no way Carla would reject his fish this time!

Natsu was still snoring in Lucy's bed, his arm wrapped around her waist as he cuddled into her back. Her hand rested on top of his. Happy snickered. The Dragon Slayer's feelings were all too obvious to him. He even suspected at times that Lucy returned his feelings. But humans were so _dumb_ that way. They would go back and forth forever before finally making a move. Happy had no intention of waiting. He knew that Carla was the Exceed for him.

 _"Stupid Natsu,"_ he thought, " _Maybe once Carla accepts my fish, I'll help him out a little."_

Dismissing the thought, he flew out the window, fish in hand, and headed for the guild. He knew Carla would be there because Wendy was training with Porlyusica for the morning in the infirmary.

He was completely oblivious to the crowd of people yelling at Makarov outside the guild - something about a stench that needed to be dealt with - as he whistled to himself. _Today was going to be different - today, she would accept his gift!_ He sauntered inside, scanning the room for Carla.

He found her sitting with Pantherlily at a booth in the corner of the guild hall. He snarled slightly that she wasn't alone, but proceeded to approach, his gift behind his back.

"Carla?" he asked sheepishly, interrupting whatever conversation the two Exceeds were having.

Both Carla and Patherlily glanced at him.

"You're up early," Pantherlily commented, "It's not normal to see you here before noon on any given day."

"Well," Happy admitted, "I have something important to talk to Carla about."

Pantherlily nodded curtly, getting up from his spot, "Then I won't interrupt."

Both Carla and Happy watched him pad off to Gajeel's table, transforming into his giant Exceed form.

"Carla?" Happy asked sheepishly, noting that she was still watching Pantherlily.

"What is it, Tomcat?" she replied, finally meeting his eyes.

Happy blushed, "I just wanted you to know, I think you're really great. Please accept my fish."

He pulled it out from behind his back, kneeling on one knee as he held it out to her with both paws.

She stared at him, getting down from the table. She placed a gentle paw on top of his head.

"Happy," she said in a hesitant voice, "Do you know why I keep rejecting your fish?"

His confidence wavered at the glance she was giving him.

"You don't like me?" Happy asked, tears welling in his eyes.

Carla shook her head after a long moment of watching his lose himself.

"No," Carla said finally, "That's not why at all."

Happy held back his tears, glancing up at her face. She didn't look stern today. Her eyes were filled with concern for him.

"We have a job to do as Exceeds," she told him, "We need to protect our Dragon Slayers and be there for them. It's our first and only priority."

"So you _do_ like me?" Happy asked, his eyes widening, "You just won't accept my fish because you feel like you'd be prioritizing less for Wendy?"

"Hold on," Carla protested, "That's not entirely what I said!"

"I bet if Wendy knew that, she'd tell you it's okay!" Happy exclaimed, placing his fish in her palms.

"Wait a minute!" Carla objected, "You're not listening to me!"

"Don't worry!" Happy cried out in determination, "I'll talk to her! I'll be right back!"

Carla sighed heavily, bonking her forehead on the table top as Happy sped away.

"You know," Pantherlily said, rejoining her at the table, "You _could_ just be straight up with him."

She glanced at him, "I thought what I said to him was a pretty straight answer."

Pantherlily chuckled, taking a sip of his mead.

"Wendy! Wendy!" Happy called out as he entered the infirmary.

"Hi Happy!" Wendy replied from behind a white curtain, "Just give me a moment to finish with my patient."

Happy nodded, climbing up into a chair nearby. After a few minutes of waiting, he scooted over to another chair a little closer to the curtain.

"Almost done, Wendy?" he shouted.

He could hear some of the sleeping patients groan, but Happy ignored them. This was important.

"Almost," she told him.

Another few minutes passed before Happy found himself getting anxious again. He moved chairs again, this time settling on the one outside of the curtain that Wendy was working behind.

"Can we talk through the curtain?" he asked impatiently.

"I'm almost done!" she promised, "Please be patient!"

This time she was serious. She excused herself from the curtained room, offering him a smile.

"It _took_ you long enough!" Happy exclaimed.

"I'm sorry," Wendy smiled sweetly, "That was a broken bone that needed resetting. What can I do for you?"

"Carla says she can't accept my fish because you have to be her first priority," Happy spat out, "Do you think you could tell her it's okay? She says she really wants to, but is worried about you."

Wendy stifled a laugh, "Oh Happy. She's not being straight with you at all."

Happy's face fell, "So she _doesn't_ like me?"

Wendy picked him up, setting him down on her lap as she sat down, "It's more like…you know how Natsu and Lucy act together?"

Happy nodded, "They're best friends and they spend all their time together."

Wendy nodded back, "Exactly…but neither of them can admit to the other that maybe they'd both like to be _more_ than friends. They're both stubborn…and a little bit oblivious."

Happy's large eyes edged with tears, "But I _can_ admit I like Carla!"

"Carla isn't there yet," Wendy told him gently, "But there's another reason she hasn't – and will never – accept your fish."

Happy sniffed back his watery eyes, "Because she doesn't like me."

Wendy shook her head, "No…that's not it at all…so if I tell you, you can't tell Carla I told you."

Happy nodded, still trying to control the waterfall that threatened to pour from his eyes.

Wendy leaned forward, whispering in his ear, " _She doesn't like fish!"_

Happy's eyes widened, everything suddenly coming into focus. No wonder she never wanted his fish.

"Well, what should I get her instead?" he asked, feeling extremely foolish.

"Raspberries," Wendy said pointedly, "Get her raspberries. If she takes the raspberries, take it as a compliment, but don't push her. She'll come around to the fact that she likes you all on her own."

Happy grinned as he got down off her lap, "Thanks Wendy! I have to get out to the garden right away!"

Wendy shook her head, a smile adorning her pretty face. She watched out the window as Carla arrived with a clothes pin on her nose. She threw her most recently acquired dead tuna at the top of a heaping pile of dead fish, then turned to continue watching Happy. She watched Happy foraging through the raspberry bush, making a small pile inside his backpack.

"Maybe now Makarov will get rid of that pile and that will be the end of the stench," Porlyusica sighed as they both watched Carla head back toward the guild.

"Hopefully," Wendy replied, "It's really too bad Carla didn't have the heart to tell him herself…that she hates fish, I mean."

They watched as Happy raced to catch up to Carla out in the garden. He plucked a raspberry from his pile, offering it to her from one knee. To his absolute surprise and euphoria, Carla reached into his paw and _accepted_ the raspberry. If Happy's euphoric grin had been any brighter, both Wendy and Porlyusica would have needed shades.

"Somehow," Porlyusica said as she gathered the clipboard so she could see her next patient, "I think now that Happy knows, things will get a lot better between them."

Wendy smiled happily, watching as Carla patted Happy's arm, thanking him for the raspberry.

Both Wendy and Porlyusica's gazes landed on the disgusting mound of decaying fish. A small crowd of villagers were still shaking their fists at Makarov. Makarov wore a clothespin on his nose, trying to calm them.

"Somehow," Wendy added, "I think the whole guild will be thankful for that."


End file.
